Zoltan, Hound of Dracula (1978)
| running time = 90 min. | country = USA/Canada | language = English | budget = | gross revenue = | preceded by = | followed by = }} Zoltan, Hound of Dracula, also known as Dracula's Dog, is a joint American-Canadian horror film of that blends elements of the vampire and predatory animal genres. It was directed and produced by Albert Band with a script written by Frank Ray Perilli, who is also a producer on the film. It was produced by EMI Television and VIC Productions and released theatrically through Crown International Pictures in June, 1978. The movie stars Michael Pataki as Michael Drake (as well as that of the vampire lord Count Dracula), along with Jan Shutan as Marla Drake, Libby Chase as Linda Drake, John Levin as Steve Drake, Reggie Nalder as Veidt Smith and Cleo Harington as Pat Parks. Plot A Russian road crew accidentally blasts open a subterranean crypt, and the captain of the road crew, fearing looters and criminals, stations a guard near the site. Late in the night, an earthquake shakes loose one of the coffins, which slides down and lands at the feet of the confused guard. Curious as to what has fallen before him, the guard opens the coffin and discovers the body of a dog, impaled by a stake. He removes the stake, which revives the vampiric hound Zoltan. Zoltan opens another coffin shaken loose from the crypt, this one holding the body of an innkeeper, Nalder, who once owned the crypt. Zoltan removes the stake from the innkeeper's chest, reanimating the innkeeper. The movie cuts to a flashback of a village in Russia 200 years prior. The dog of an innkeeper saves a woman from being bitten by a bat, Dracula in disguise. Furious over losing his meal to a dog, Dracula bites the woman's savior, turning the dog into a vampire. Now a vampire, the dog turns on its owner, turning the innkeeper into a vampire as well. Back in the present, it appears that Dracula has only one surviving descendant, Michael Drake, a mild-mannered psychiatrist, played by Michael Pataki, who decides to take his wife and children (who are, technically, also Dracula's descendants) on a vacation in his Winnebago, hoping to spend some quality time with his family out in the national forest. Still loyal to the Dracula family, the two vampires travel to the United States, shipping themselves via boat to California. Eventually, Zoltan and company find themselves in the same forest as Michael and his family. Other campers, vacationing with their dogs, discover that their pets are being killed by a strange beast. The deceased animals soon reanimate into vampiric dogs, the minions of Zoltan. Zoltan is killed in the final scene, but a vampire puppy escapes destruction. Wikipedia:Dracula's Dog Cast Notes & Trivia * This movie is alternatively known as Dracula's Dog. * The tagline to this film is, "There's more to the legend than meets... the throat!" * Zoltan, Hound of Dracula premiered in Portugal on March 6th, 1981. IMDB; Zoltan, Hound of Dracula; Release dates * Zoltan, Hound of Dracula premiered in France on March 6th, 1981. IMDB; Zoltan, Hound of Dracula; Release dates * Zoltan, Hound of Dracula was released on DVD in Region 1 format by Lions Gate Home Entertainment on March 12th, 2012. Amazon.com; Zoltan, Hound of Dracula; DVD * The movie takes place in Russia and in California. * Crown International Pictures is also known for producing Blood of Dracula's Castle and Nightmare in Wax, both of which premiered in 1969. * Albert Band is also known for directing the 1988 horror/comedy Ghoulies II. * Screenwriter Frank Ray Perilli is also the screenwriter on the 1980 predatory animal film Alligator. * This is Michael Pataki's fifth work in a horror film. His next film projects include Love at First Bite in 1979, Dead & Buried in 1981 and Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers in 1988. External Links * * Zoltan, Hound of Dracula at Wikipedia * * * * * References ---- Category:Articles Category:Films Category:1978 films Category:EMI Television Category:VIC Productions Category:Crown International Pictures Category:Anchor Bay Entertainment Category:Lions Gate Entertainment